A day at Cardinal Ridge

Before I get started with a day at Cardinal Ridge let me back track a moment to an interesting sidelight on our trip to Wayah Bald. About half way there we saw a sign that read Lyndon Johnson Job Corps. No one had ever heard of this so we drove in and went into the office to inquire. A really nice young girl came out of the office and gave us the information speech. It seems one of the last thing John Kennedy did before he was assassinated was try to create a domestic Peace Corp type of thing. He was assassinated before he could get the bill passed but Lyndon Johnson succeeded when he took office. It was based on and used the old infrastructure left over from the Roosevelt era CCC camps. The camp we were in has around 160 young men and women working with the Forest Rangers doing building and maintenance on park building, bridges, etc. They teach welding, carpentry, masonry and electrician skills. We were all astounded to find out there were several hundred of these camps scattered all over the US. The students live in a barracks type situation and are paid $25.00 every 2 weeks. Just like the depression era CCC camps food, shelter and clothing are provided. This has to be one of the best kept secrets I have run across. I never heard of this and they are teaching thousands of high school drop outs every year valuable trades and keeping our national parks in tip top shape. Ok, on to our day at Cardinal Ridge. As usual it starts out with breakfast. The following two photos show the breakfast buffet. 

 They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

 A Rhododendrum bush along the driveway.

 Eating ribs from Fat Buddy's with Walter and Bobby in the Gazebo

 Feeding the deer and turkeys in the evening. 

 As you all know Mary prays every Sunday for the good Lord to turn me into the husband she truly deserves. This is a picture of God speaking to me about reforming my evil, sinful ways. As usual I wasn't listening. 

 World renowned author of books on investing Walter and his wife Bobby getting ready to leave for Georgia. 

 Flightless Geese in their pen

The wooden Indian that guards the flightless geese. And that, my friends, is a day at Cardinal Ridge.